Flash light



Aug- 1, 1933- B. F. MULDOON ET Al. 1,920,314

FLASH LIGHT Filed May 6, 1929 Patented Aug. 1, 1933 Ni'rsn STATES l FLASH LIGHT BernardF. Muldoon, Mountain View, N. J., and John E. Johnson, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Henry Hyman,Vv Brooklyn, N. Y.:

Application May 6, 1929. `Serial No. 360,676

. 4 Claims. (Cl. 24U-10.67)

This invention relatesV to a pocket flash, light in which the parts `are enclosed while the device is not inuse and can be ilashed merely by opening a cover. The cover is spring pressed so that the tendency of it is to fly open and is kept in its closed position by means of a` snap that can be operated by pressing the same inwardly to release the cover for the spring to open it. An electric light bulb is carried by the cover member and is automatically lighted when the cover is opened and extinguished when the coveris closed. A closure is provided which can be removed to replace the batteries in the casing.

The invention will be understood from the description in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which Fig?V 1"*is a vertical section through an illustrative embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar section partly broken away, showing the cover in. its open position; Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing some of the details.

In the drawing, reference character 1 indicates a casing of insulating material open at one end-that is preferably oval shaped in cross section. Two dry cells 2 and 3 are shown in the casing separated by a strip or wall of insulating material 4. The cells 2 and 3 are connected in series by a metal strip 5 at the lower end of the 3G casing, which connects the positive terminal of one cell to the negative side of the other. IThe positive terminal 6 of the cell 2 is located in position to be permanently contacted by a spring contact that is connected to one terminal of an 3- electric bulb and a metal strip 7 is connected to the negative side of the cell 3 and extends upwardly along the wall 4 into position to operate as a battery terminal and as a stop to limit the extent of opening of the cover, as will be described below. A

A hole 8 is provided in one edge oi the casing near the top thereof. A removable receptacle or housing 9, corresponding in shape to the casing l, which iits tightly in the casing and may be held therein by friction, is provided with an opening 10 that is aligned `with the opening 8 when the receptacle is in place. 9 may, if desired, be provided with outwardly extending projections to snap into corresponding holes or indentations inthe casing l to keep the same in place. This receptacle serves as a hollow metal closure for the open end of the casing 1.

The receptacle 9 is vprovided withy a bottom 11, having a struck out tongue 12 near one end and The receptacle bent outwardly so as to provide a spring contact 12 forthe terminal 6` of the cell 2. The bottom 11 is provided with a rectangular opening 13 for a purpose to be described below. A cover 14, concave on the inside, is provided for 60 the receptacle 9. The cover 14 is pivoted near one end by means offa pair of inwardly extending' lugs 15 upon a cross rod or pin 16 that is anchored in the sides of thereceptacle 9.l A U- shaped spring 17, whose arms pass around the rod 16 and has one portion 18 resting upon the bottom 11 and another portion 19 pressing against the inner side of the cover 14, tends to spring the cover open when the cover is released.

One end of the cover 14 is extended and turned '79 downwardly, vas shown at 20. The extended portion 20 is provided with a knob or thumb piece 2l on one side while the other side is made somewhat channel shaped, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The knob 21 is made rounded and projects through the openings 8 and 10 when the cover is in the closed position, as indicated in Fig. 1.

A strip of insulating material 22 extends from about the middle of the cover 14 on the inside thereof to the end of the projecting portion 20.

A U-shaped metallic holder 23 for an electric bulb 24 is riveted to the cover 14 by means of the rivet 25 which electrically connects the cover 14 and holder 23. The sides of the U-shaped 8 holder 23 are curved near' their ends and are provided with partial screw threads 23 to receive the screw threaded portion of the bulb 24. A strip 26 of insulating material, kept in place by 90 the rivet 25, extends along the inner side of the i cover 14 and a short distance along the extension 20. An approximately V-shaped metal contact spring 27 is riveted to the insulating strip 26 by means of the rivet 28. The contact strip 95 27 is insulated from the cover 14 and extension x 20 by means of the insulating strip 22. One side 29 of the strip 27 makes permanentcontact with the center contact 30 of the lamp bulb 24 when the bulb is in place. The side 31 of the strip 27 100 is made somewhat longer than the side 29 and extends beyond the end of the extension 20 through the opening 13, so as to make contact with the terminal 7, when the cover is in its open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation is as follows:

When the cover is turned into its closed position the knob 21 on the projection 20 of the cover snaps into the opening 10 in the receptacle 9 and'maintains the cover in its closed position ,110 with the circuit broken so that the light is extinf1 guished. The spring 17 is under tension tending to open the cover. When the bulb 21, which extends through the opening 8 in the casing 1, is pressed, it is released from its holding position in the opening 10, whereupon the spring 17 causes the cover toturn about the cross rod or pin 16 into the position shown in Figs. 2 or 4. This movement causes the end 31 of the contact strip 27 `to contact with the battery terminal '7. Circuit is thus established through the bulb, the current passing from the terminal 6 of the battery through the contact 12, housing 9, pin 16, lugs l5, cover 14, rivet 25, holder 23 to one side of `the lamp iilament, through the lamp iilament to the center contact 30, side 29 of the contact strip 27 and side 31 to theother terminal 7 of the battery.

We claim:

1. In a flash light, a casing, a cover pivoted intermediate its ends at one end of said casing, a transverse pivot for said cover extending across the inside of said casing, an electric bulb carried by said cover, spring means'rfor opening said cover, and a Contact element carried by said cover and insulated therefrom and adapted `to contact with a battery terminal and a terminal of said bulb, said battery terminal operating as a stop to limit the extent of opening of said cover.

2; In a ash light, a casing, a pivoted cover at one end of said casing, said casing having an opening in the side thereof and said cover having an extension provided with a portion extending into said opening, an electric bulb carried by said cover, spring means for opening said cover, and a contact element carried by said cover and insu* lated therefrom and adapted to contact with a battery terminal and a terminal of said bulb.

3. In a iash light, a casing o1 insulating material, a battery in said casing, a hollow metal closurefor one end of said casing, a cover for said closure hinged at a xed point, a contact on said closure for a terminal of said battery, an electric bulb carried by said cover, and means to connect the other terminal of said battery to said bulb in the open position of said cover, said last named terminal being a stop to limit the extent of opening of said cover.

4. In a iiash light, a casing, a cover pivoted intermediate its ends at one endvof said casing, a transverse pivot for said cover extending across the inside of said casing, an electric bulb carried by said'cover and having one terminal thereof electrically connected to said cover, spring means for opening said cover, and a Contact element carried by said cover and insulated therefrom and adapted to contact with a terminal of said bulb and with a terminal of the battery as it is moving away from said battery.

BERNARD F. MULDOON.

JOHN E. JOHNSON.

Tile:

fis( 

